Droylsden F.C.-The bloods on the net!

GLOUCESTER CITY 1 – 4 DROYLSDEN

Blue Square North – Sunday 23rd August 2009

Report by Colin Donald and Dave Leach

Droylsden continued where they had left off against Northwich on the previous Monday, with a comprehensive victory against Gloucester City on a scorching hot day in sunny Cirencester. The game was being played on the Sunday, as Gloucester's landlords were in action at home the previous day.

The Bloods took the game to their hosts from the off and Tigers' ‘keeper Mark Green was quickly called into action to save, firstly from Tony Gray and then a powerful header from Simon Yeo. Moments later, Steve Pickford's goalbound piledriver was deflected away from goal by the unwitting Yeo.

It was all Droylsden at this moment and Green was forced to deny Steve Halford, whose header from a corner was tipped around the post by the overworked stopper.

Half an hour in, Gloucester started to gain a slight foothold in the game and the Bloods were relieved to see the assistant's flag go up for offside, after Pitcher had crashed a header into the far corner of Howarth's goal. Shortly after, they survived another scare when Symons sliced his shot over the bar from a good position following a cross from the right.

The Tigers were made to pay for their missed chances as Droylsden came flying out of the traps for the second half. Two minutes in, they took the lead when Shaun Whalley, son of ex-Bloods stalwart Neil, turned the Gloucester defence inside out before crossing for Gray to nod home from close range.

Six minutes later Gray scored his and Droylsden's second when he slid home the ball after it had been left to run through for him by the hard working Yeo. Within a minute, it was three, as Steve Beck shot home from the edge of the area beyond the despairing Green.

The Bloods were now threatening to completely overrun their hosts when Whalley tapped home a fourth, after Green had failed to hold yet another effort from the inimitable Gray. Indeed, they should have made it five, only for the linesman to controversially rule out Halford's header from a free kick, even though he had run from around the back of the Gloucester defence to meet the ball.

The bedraggled home side then scored a consolation goal when substitute Marshall floated a speculative free kick into the box, which evaded everybody and dropped into the top corner of the net.

Despite further chances, the Bloods failed to add to their goal tally, and whilst it was a good performance overall, Dave Pace will not need to remind his team that there will be stiffer tests to come, most notably this Saturday, when Droylsden host fellow title hopefuls Fleetwood Town at the Butcher's Arms. Based on their last two performances, they need not fear anybody, and in striker Tony Gray, they have a player as good as anybody in this league.

Gloucester City:

Green, Morford, Kite, Mustoe, Hamblin, Rose, Smith, Ballinger, Pitcher, Symons, Harris. Subs: Palmer, Robinson, Ellis, Sykes, Marshall.

Droylsden:

Howarth, Roche, Brownhill, Ruffer, Halford, Sorvel, Beck, Pickford, Gray, Yeo, Whalley. Subs: Byron, Graves, Brown P, Brown A, Woodyatt.

Referee: Mr P Hobday (Tipton, West Midlands)

Attendance: 340